


Soulmate.com

by ReginaNocis



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Hale Family, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, BAMF Darcy Lewis, Darcy & Stiles are Cousins, Evil Kate Argent, Lawyer!Laura, Multi, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, because why not?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-23 02:27:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17674664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReginaNocis/pseuds/ReginaNocis
Summary: When Darcy complains about feeling alone, Stiles suggests a website that will give her a penpal to help her through it. Meanwhile, Laura Hale gets bullied into using the same website by the same person. When it pairs them up, they form a bond stronger than any they could have imagined.





	1. How it Begins

Darcy Lewis was alone. Sure, she lived in a tower full of superheroes and SHIELD agents. Yes, she had plenty of friends and family. She just hadn’t met her soulmate yet. In a world where meeting your soulmate completed your destiny, she felt that emptiness daily. She had to keep reminding herself that most of her friends and family had yet to meet their soulmates, either.

It was a normal day when her cousin suggested the thing that led her to her destiny. Every person in the world had a soulmate, that was fact. Some people had two; it wasn’t uncommon. Every single person had a mark somewhere on their bodies to identify the other half of their soul. Sometimes it was a name, sometimes a picture, and occasionally it was the first thing said to them. Darcy had a picture of a triskele with the name Laura. It wasn’t much, but she’d been told her whole life that she’d know immediately when she met the girl that went with her mark. Her Laura.

She should have been paying attention to the scientists she was supposed to be taking care of, but they were all engrossed in their own projects. Bruce had some kind of beakers boiling in the corner, and Tony was working out equations on his whiteboard while he muttered to Jarvis. Darcy felt perfectly justified in texting Stiles while she waited for a fire to put out. (She really didn’t mean that literally, though she wouldn’t put it past Tony.)

_Darcy: It’s so boring today. I feel so alone… tell me I’m not alone._

_Stiles: You’re literally talking to me._

_Darcy: Yeah… but you know what I mean. I know you feel it too._

_Stiles: I actually found something that kinda helps. There’s a penpal website for people who also haven’t found their soulmates yet. I’ve been talking to a guy, and we’ve gotten pretty close._

_Darcy: I don’t want a relationship with someone who isn’t mine._

_Stiles: Not like that… he’s a friend._

_Darcy: I don’t know… I don’t really think it’s me._

_Stiles: You feel alone. This might help. I’ll send you the link. At least check it out? Send one message, and if it really isn’t helping you, you don’t have to do anything else._

_Darcy: Fine. Only for you._

As soon as the link appeared in her inbox, Darcy clicked on it. It looked like a generic chatroom to her. There was a questionnaire that didn’t seem to invasive, and since she’d promised Stiles she’d give it a try, she filled it out. In less than five minutes, there was an unfamiliar email address on her screen with no name connected to it. She scrolled up and read the site description one more time.

**Haven’t met your soulmate yet? Don’t worry! It takes time and lots of patience. Our site offers you the chance to connect with people all over the world who are in your situation. By answering a few simple questions, we can pair you with someone to talk to who will understand exactly what you’re going through. Who knows; maybe it’s your soulmate!**

Darcy rolled her eyes, but scrolled back down to the email address and copied it. Opening up her own email, she pasted the address in and debated on the subject line. In the end, she had an email that she was at least mostly satisfied with.

_To:[alphabetahope@gmail.com](mailto:alphabetahope@gmail.com)_

_From:[tazingthunder@gmail.com](mailto:tazingthunder@gmail.com)_

_Subject: Soulmate Site_

_I’ll be honest, I’m not even sure how to start this off. I promised my cousin that I’d give this website a try, and your email is the one that it gave me. I don’t for one second believe that it’s going to work, but he swears that it’ll help with the feeling that I’m a failure for not meeting her yet. So… hi!_

_I guess let’s start with the basics. I’m not going to give you my first name, because I know about internet safety. So I guess if you choose to reply, you can use my middle name, which is Leigh. I’m twenty-four, and I have a bachelor’s degree in political science. You’d think that would mean that I’m working in some form of government position, but you would be wrong. I’m a glorified babysitter for a bunch of people who have a tendency to blow things up. And, as you may have figured out, I have not met my soulmate._

_My cousin hasn’t met his either. He’s really the only family that I’m close to, though I consider most of my friends to be my family. To sum up my awful family history, let’s just say that my father is in prison and my mother spends more time drunk and puking than anything else. My uncle raised me, and he’s proud of me. So when I say my cousin, I kind of mean my brother. And that’s why he could get me to promise something so ridiculous._

_Enough about me. I actually am curious about you. Your email address is very cool. Maybe someday, if this actually leads to friendship, we can exchange stories of how we came up with our email addresses. You’ll never believe mine. I’m willing to know anything that you’re willing to share. I could use a friend that isn’t tied into the insanity that is my life right now. I hope you reply._

_Leigh_

She hit send before she could talk herself out of it, and she really hoped that she wouldn’t regret it. She hadn’t given away anything that would tie back to her specifically so SHIELD couldn’t get on her case about broaching her NDA’s. And the fact that she’d followed through and actually sent the email would get Stiles off of her back. She sent him a quick email to say that she actually had done it. He didn’t reply, and she assumed he’d gotten sucked into a video game with his best friend- as usual. She settled into her desk to watch Tony weld two pieces of metal that absolutely would not fit.

~

Laura logged into her email in boredom. She’d been sitting at her desk for most of the day, taking calls and sending people on errands. Owning her own law firm meant that she could do whatever she wanted. Of course, owning the law firm did not make up for the fact that she was still alone. Her mother liked to reassure her that she was still young and the best was yet to come. She hadn’t met her soulmate until she was thirty, and everything had turned out just fine. Laura was only twenty-six, she had time. It didn’t make her feel any better.

What did make her feel better was the email that was waiting for her. This Leigh person seemed very interesting. When she’d registered for the website, it was because the stray human that her brother had adopted into his pack had suggested it. He’d apparently made a friend on there that made being single bearable, which she was pretty sure meant that she _never_ wanted to read their messages. Derek’s sour look had confirmed it. She hadn’t received a single email until today. She had her secretary clear her calendar, and then set to replying.

_To:[tazingthunder@gmail.com](mailto:tazingthunder@gmail.com)_

_From:[alphabetahope@gmail.com](mailto:alphabetahope@gmail.com)_

_Subject: Yay!_

_Leigh,_

_Oh my god, you don’t know how much better your email made me feel. My brother’s friend kept bothering me until I registered myself. I hadn’t received any emails, though, until yours. It’s very nice to know that I’m not the only one being forced into this. That being said, I can’t bring myself to regret it now that you’ve emailed. You’re a very interesting person._

_I’m not sure how much I can say without giving myself away. Middle names are a good idea. Mine is Rose. (I think it was a great-aunt’s name, but I never met her, so…) I’m twenty-six, and a lawyer. I live in a tiny town that isn’t even really on the map, but it’s beautiful. There are forests all over, and beautiful cliffs from which to watch the sunset. And yes, I will admit that I do that a lot._

_As for family, I have a HUGE one. My mother and father are still together, and very loving. I moved out of the family house and into a smaller house with my brother and sister. Before that, we lived in a giant manor with our parents and their siblings and children. Picture a hotel full to the brim with nosey family members, and you’ll come close to what I had to put up with. It’s much better, living with just those two. We get along much better now, too. Unfortunately, I don’t have many friends outside of my family. So in a way, we’re kind of opposites._

_My email address is kind of personal, but maybe someday we’ll get to the point where we can share information like that. But I’d like to make a deal with you right off the bat, okay? I would love nothing more than to be friends with you, but that’s all this can be. Even though I haven’t met her, I do have a soulmate. I’m saving myself for her, as I assume you are doing as well. So friends would be great, but I’m not interested in becoming more than that. Sorry if that offends you._

_Rose_

Laura smiled as she clicked send. She was satisfied with the amount of information she’d given, and she couldn’t wait to see if Leigh decided to reply. She decided to call it a day at the firm, and head home. Hopefully, if she was lucky, she’d have an email waiting for her when she came back in the morning.


	2. It Continues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura continues to be amused by Darcy's emails as she works.

_To:[alphabetahope@gmail.com](mailto:alphabetahope@gmail.com)_

_From:[tazingthunder@gmail.com](mailto:tazingthunder@gmail.com)_

_Subject: Oh, hey!_

_Rose,_

_I’ll be honest, I really didn’t expect a reply. I had to download a special app on my phone to keep my boss from hacking my computer to read our emails. He’s invasive like that. Actually, pretty much all of my friends are like that. Did I mention that my boss is also one of my closest friends?_

_It must be really nice to have such a close family! I’m jealous. My cousin has a name that literally none of us can pronounce, so he’s always gone by his own nickname. I can proudly claim to have come up with it myself. But he’s all over social media with it… so I guess I’ll just uses middle names for everyone that I talk about. Can that just be a thing? Middle names instead of first?_

_Anyways, *Genim* is the one who got me started on this. He and his father are the only family I’m close to, as I said. I grew up in their small town, once my father… well, that’s a story for a different time. Instead of letting me go into the system, my uncle basically adopted me. Genim and I grew up as brother and sister from the time we were five, on. Uncle Robert (which I’m shortening to Rob now) and Genim are the only ones I still talk to. I’m actually going out to visit them in a few months. My boss is trying to convince me to take him with me… but that’s not happening._

_I’m in New York right now. There’s not really a way to talk about my surroundings or activities without giving that away. Living in the city is kind of terrifying after having grown up in such a tiny town. Everyone is so… I don’t want to say rude, but there’s not a better word for it. Nobody cares about anybody else, and it’s all pollution and discrimination… I try so hard to be the odd one out. I think I succeed most of the time._

_I’ll tell you more about my job if you tell me more about yours! What kind of law do you practice? Do you work at a big firm? (I don’t know enough about the field to ask more questions. You’ll have to fill me in on the basics!)_

_Leigh_

_P.S. I’m fine with the just friends thing. More than fine with it. My soulmate is my everything… even if I haven’t met her yet. So, deal._

Laura smiled brightly as she read the email before she’d even taken her coat off. It had been raining that morning, as usual for that time of year. Derek hadn’t noticed anything different, but Cora had immediately seen her smile when she’d walked through the door last night. She’d spent the evening trying to get Laura to explain, and was very frustrated when she’d failed. Laura had made sure to leave before Cora woke up, to avoid more questioning.

Erica knocked on her open door before she could begin drafting her reply. “Ms. Hale, your eleven o’clock is here early. She’s demanding to see you as soon as possible.”

“You’ll have to tell her that we’re not technically open yet. If Peter is in and would like to see her, she’s welcome to see him instead,” Laura replied. It was one rule she would never bend on; she would never see a client before eleven o’clock. It was only nine-thirty, and that was the time she’d reserved for paperwork and answering correspondence. She was especially eager for the latter that day. Erica nodded with a small smile.

“He’s in, and he did offer. She turned him down. I’ll let her know that she’ll have to wait. Actually, I may just tell her that you’re not even in yet,” Erica replied easily.

Laura had hired Erica as soon as she’d graduated. She was an excellent paralegal, and an even better secretary. She had a very similar personality, and she was a force to be reckoned with. People knew to take her word as law. This client, Katherine Argent, would be no exception, Laura was sure.

“There’s no need to lie. If she wants our help, she’ll wait. Or she’ll accept that Peter is her only option for another hour and a half,” Laura replied with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. She felt no regret at all in sending the woman to her uncle. Peter was worse than Laura in many ways, and he had little patience for disrespect. Ms. Argent was famous for disrespecting her superiors.

As soon as Erica walked away, Laura began to type her reply. She would have to be careful not to check her email too often during the day. She couldn’t afford to be distracted from her work when it was so important to the community.

_To:[tazingthunder@gmail.com](mailto:tazingthunder@gmail.com)_

_From:[alphabetahope@gmail.com](mailto:alphabetahope@gmail.com)_

_Subject: Meddling Family_

_Leigh,_

_Your response made my morning so much better. I’ll begin with the end of your letter and respond backwards, if that’s alright. (If it bothers you, just let me know. I won’t do it again if that’s the case.)_

_I practice a few different kinds of law, to be honest. Mostly domestic, but I sometimes find myself in court defending abuse victims or accident suites. I own my own firm, with my uncle as my partner. We’re the only firm in town, so a lot of people come to us. I do a lot of pro-bono work, especially in the type of cases I mentioned previously. My work is my life, which my mother is fond of berating me for. (She can’t really talk… she does the same thing.)_

_Middle names work perfectly. I like that idea quite a bit. My sister, Elizabeth (now Liz), spent the night questioning why I was in such a good mood. Apparently, I haven’t smiled at home in a long time. Making a friend seems to bring out the best in me. My brother, Lucas, didn’t notice a thing. But he’s kind of… withdrawn. I think he’s hiding something, not that I can prove it._

_As I said, I don’t have a lot of friends. I guess the only person outside of my family that I would consider a friend would be Nicole. She’s my secretary, but we typically go out for drinks every Friday night after work. She knows more about me than most of my family, including my siblings. She likes to invite her friend along, a girl who is smarter than the two of us combined. I don’t know her middle name… I’d ask but it would just lead to questions that I don’t want to answer._

_I barely know you, so I haven’t told anyone about your emails. Maybe once we’ve been talking for a while, I’ll let someone know. For now, though, it feels fun to have a secret. A friend that’s just mine. I’m guessing you know what I mean, since you downloaded an app specifically to keep my emails private from your boss/friend. I only check my email at work, but I may end up doing the same thing. It depends on whether or not I can keep Liz away from my phone. I’ll have to let you know what I decide to do._

_But now that I’ve told you a little about my job, you have to tell me about yours! How did a political science graduate end up babysitting scientists? (Plural?! What kind?) I’m dying to know._

_Rose_

_P.S. I figured you wouldn’t mind that deal. I hoped you wouldn’t. I need a friend._

Satisfied, Laura managed to work for an hour without refreshing her email. She didn’t know what time it was in New York, and she refrained from looking it up. At ten forty-five, she refreshed her email and grinned at the response.

_To:[alphabetahope@gmail.com](mailto:alphabetahope@gmail.com)_

_From:[tazingthunder@gmail.com](mailto:tazingthunder@gmail.com)_

_Subject: Meddling Friends_

_Rose,_

_Gah, you’re like a saint!! Helping abuse victims and accident victims… for free!! You know how I said I try to be the odd one out? You would NOT fit in here, and that is a major compliment. I’m happy to call you my friend. And it doesn’t bother me that you went in reverse order. Reply in whatever order you’d like. I’m good at following conversation no matter how jumbled it gets. (Not that your email was jumbled. Foot meet mouth. Or… how do you change that to cover typing? I don’t even know.)_

_Edward (my boss) was the only one who noticed I was acting any different at all, hence downloading the app on my phone. He gave me this phone, but he’d fixed it for me so that nobody- including him- could hack it. I guess you could call him an engineer, but he’s got degrees in so many things… he’s an actual genius. So there’s him, and then there’s David. He’s more into biological science, I think? It’s a lot of chemistry, and he’s got books about genetics and anatomy scattered on his work bench right now. I’m honestly not sure what his field is. I’m no scientist._

_I haven’t told anyone about you either, other than Genim. And all I told him was that I sent and email and received a reply. He hasn’t shared his own experiences, which I’m sure I don’t want to hear, so I feel justified in keeping mine private. It’s nice to have a friend who is just mine. It’s nice to talk to someone who is normal. (And apparently a freaking saint!!)_

_I’ll share a story from my day so far, in the hopes that it will make yours slightly better. I told you that I babysit scientists, so now I’m going to explain why it’s necessary. I started my morning with making coffee for everyone in the department. It’s one of the most important jobs I’ve got, according to Edward. In the six minutes it took me to brew, pour, and deliver the coffee, Edward had gotten his hands on David’s current project without being noticed. It had been sitting overnight, and David hadn’t come in yet. I didn’t notice it right away… until I handed him his mug and noticed it smoking on the table right in front of him as he added chemicals to it. I barely got him out in time. The thing exploded as soon as I hit the button to lock down the room from the outside. Of course, as soon as the explosion went off, the elevator opened up to show David and Virginia (the CEO of the company we work for). I am not ashamed to admit that I left Edward to explain while I took a company car to Starbucks and treated myself to a mocha. I feel that I earned it. And my day is only half over now!_

_I better wrap this up. Virginia just texted me to let me know that the lab is open again. I need to get there before Edward “accidentally” causes another explosion. (Nobody believes that it’s an accident anymore. Nobody.)_

_Leigh_

Laura was laughing out loud by the time she’d finished reading. She had to reread it to make sure that she’d read it all correctly. Apparently, she’d laughed loud enough that she’d drawn Erica’s attention. Her friend stuck her head through the door not even a full minute later.

“Are you ready to deal with the crazy client? She’s still here, just waiting. I think she wants to sue someone, based on what she’s been saying. Actually, with how she’s been talking to me, she might want to sue me now…” Erica said softly, so that Ms. Argent wouldn’t overhear.

“I have one more email to respond to, and then I’ll see her. Give me about fifteen minutes, Erica, then send her in. I’ll handle it, and hopefully we’ll never see her again,” Laura replied. She knew better, of course. Katherine Argent had been a thorn in her side for over a year now. She always had one thing or another that needed to be dealt with. The latest was her divorce from her husband of six months. Laura really wished she’d let Peter help her, just this once.

_To:[tazingthunder@gmail.com](mailto:tazingthunder@gmail.com)_

_From:[alphabetahope@gmail.com](mailto:alphabetahope@gmail.com)_

_Subject: Torture_

_Leigh,_

_Your job sounds as torturous as mine is today. I’ll admit that I’ve been putting off meeting with one of my clients for the last two hours or so. This woman has been coming to my firm for over a year, always for the stupidest little things. I’ll admit that I’ve been a little petty… she got married six months ago and I still call her by her maiden name. How is that for a saint? (Of course… she’s here about a divorce now, so…)_

_Edward sounds a lot like my uncle, to be honest. Jonathon takes almost sadistic pleasure in messing with others. He takes the cases that require more… ruthlessness. He’s much more of a shark than I am. That’s why I wish this client would accept his help; he could handle her much better than I do. (Not to say I can’t handle her. I just don’t like to.)_

_Was David very angry? I certainly would be. And I know I shouldn’t worry, as we’ve only just met, but are you alright? You didn’t mention injuries, but you seem like the kind of person who wouldn’t unless specifically asked. So this is me specifically asking. I’m assuming Edward probably had minor burns, being the one adding the chemicals in the first place. From what I know about chemistry, wouldn’t such a volatile reaction begin with more than just smoking?_

_Nicole heard me laugh out loud at your story, so I can say with certainty that it did make my day brighter. Thank you. I don’t have an equal one to share, yet. Maybe if we’re still emailing this afternoon, I’ll have more to tell about my troubled client. Confidentiality doesn’t really apply to internet friends who won’t even have names… right? (I’m the lawyer, so… I can confirm that.)_

_I feel like this is short, but… work calls. I can’t wait to read your reply later. If it takes me a while to get back to you, it’s only because I’ve been sucked into my job again. I’ll set a reminder for a few hours from now, so I’ll remember to resurface for you._

_Rose_

_P.S. If I ever cross a line or push something you don’t want to talk about, please just let me know. It’s never my intention. My family is just very open, and sometimes I forget that others are not._

She hit send before she could doubt herself, and then she closed out of her email for the time being. She did set the reminder on her phone, though. And just as she slid it into her purse, the door opened to admit Katherine Argent. She was not smiling, and Erica was miming hanging herself over Kate’s shoulder. Laura had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.

“Good afternoon, Ms. Argent. What can I help you with today?” Laura asked. She felt no regret at the disgusted look Kate gave her. It was going to be a long day. At least she had an email to look forward to.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Genim: Stiles  
> David: Bruce Banner  
> Edward: Tony Stark  
> Virginia: Pepper (I know it's not her middle name. This was just easier.)  
> Elizabeth (Liz): Cora Hale  
> Lucas: Derek Hale  
> Jonathon: Peter Hale


	3. Emails and Texts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy and Laura continue to communicate. Meanwhile, Stiles realizes something hugely important.

_To:[alphabetahope@gmail.com](mailto:alphabetahope@gmail.com)_

_From:[tazingthunder@gmail.com](mailto:tazingthunder@gmail.com)_

_Subject: I can’t even_

_Rose,_

_Yes, you are still a saint. The fact that you’re still representing her and not demanding that she go to your uncle makes you a saint. Calling her by her maiden name- especially if she’s getting divorced- can barely even be considered petty. You don’t even want to know some of the things I’ve done to people who repeatedly get on my nerves. (Read: Edward.)_

_Let me start my email (kind of) with the assurance that I’m not hurt at all. I inhaled a little smoke, but I got checked out by our on-call medical professional (really, it’s just David. He’s totally not a medical doctor, but only because he never finished that particular degree) before I ever even went to Starbucks. And I’ll be completely honest… I brought coffee back for Edward, David, and Virginia. I didn’t even give Edward decaf. This time. That’s usually his punishment for exploding things._

_Interesting fact: the statistic for explosions in our lab is shockingly high. Edward causes an explosion three of the five working days every week. Sometimes more, rarely less. At this point, I can tend to burns in my sleep. And Virginia is the one who has to come down and yell at him every time for endangering himself and others. (Mostly me… David is never around when the explosions happen.) Edward has never caused enough destruction to shut us down for more than an hour or two, so I’m counting that as a major win._

_As for David being mad… I have never seen him get angry before. I’ve heard it’s a very scary thing, though. Definitely not something I’d want to witness. He just rolled his eyes at Edward and made sarcastic comments to me and Virginia. He’s not actually talking to Edward today, I don’t think. It’s the best possible punishment. You should see the amount of pouting in this room right now; they’re children._

_Nicole sounds awesome, I’m not going to lie. I’m glad you’ve got a friend like that. She must keep you sane through all of the clients you’d rather not see. I can’t wait to hear about this lady that makes you question your sainthood. She’s gotta be really evil._

_Leigh_

_P.S. I promise to tell you if you cross lines, but so far we’re good. I’m pretty open, too._

_To:[tazingthunder@gmail.com](mailto:tazingthunder@gmail.com)_

_From:[alphabetahope@gmail.com](mailto:alphabetahope@gmail.com)_

_Subject: EVIL LADY_

_Leigh,_

_Oh my god, let me just tell you this one thing before I get into your work drama… Katherine is a psycho!! I don’t feel bad at all for telling you about this, since you don’t know her and have no way of finding out anything about her other than from me. Her name is Katherine (Kate for short) and she is PSYCHOTIC. She’s been cheating on her husband since before they were even married, and she openly admitted that to me, right? The reason that she wants to divorce him is that he’s cheating on her, too._

_Here’s the kicker: she’s pregnant with this other guy’s kid! She did a paternity test in secret and everything. She even gave me the results! But what she wants to do is divorce him and then make him pay child support for this kid that she wants to lie and say is his. She actually offered to pay me triple my rate to get me to forge evidence saying that this child is his so that he’ll have to take legal responsibility. And when I said there’s no way in hell that I’d ever do that, she threatened my family! I returned with a threat to call the police and hand over the evidence she’d given me, and she stormed out with the promise that I’d regret ever crossing her. What a crazy day, right?!_

_I’m very glad that you’re not hurt, Leigh. I know I shouldn’t worry, but I do. I hate it when my friends are hurting. And I’m proud of you for giving him actual coffee. Now who is the saint? Actually, apparently David is. I’d be furious! His patience amazes me._

_I’m home now, because I couldn’t stay in the office after Kate left. I’m going to spend the night at my mother’s house with my family, because her threats did scare me. I’m not ashamed to admit that. Nobody threatens my family. I will be giving that information to the police tomorrow morning. I made Nicole take it home with her in secret, so that Kate can’t break in and steal it back. (Though I dare her to try. The law enforcement here will have her head long before I’d ever have to involve myself.) And me being home, means that I did break down and get that app. I had to put an actual lock on my phone to make sure that Liz can’t get into it and tease me about our emails. She wouldn’t understand._

_I hate to cut this short (again) but I need to go check on everyone and see for myself that they’re okay. I look forward to hearing from you._

_Rose_

_~_

**Stiles: Hey Darce, are you still emailing that girl from the website?**

**Darcy: Yeah, why?**

**Stiles: My guy went quiet. I was just hoping that you had more luck.**

**Darcy: Yeah. We’re going by middle names, so she knows me as Leigh and I know her as Rose.**

**Stiles: Cute. And you thought you’d hate it.**

**Darcy: I never said I’d hate it!**

**Stiles: Uh huh.**

**Darcy: I didn’t! Rose is a good friend. She’s a nice change from the insanity that is Stark Industries.**

**Stiles: Yeah… I can imagine.**

**Darcy: Is that judgement? Judgement from the one who recommended this insanity to begin with?**

**Stiles: I would never.**

**Darcy: Uh huh.**

**Stiles: Touché.**

**~**

**Laura: Hey, I have a favor to ask.**

**Stiles: I am NOT hacking a government server for you. Not after last time.**

**Laura: SHIELD dropped the charges.**

**Stiles: Yeah, because my cousin saved my ass!**

**Laura: I fail to see an issue with that. What if I say please?**

**Stiles: Depends on what information you want me to get. I swear to god, if you’re trying to find out the ending to another canceled show, I will block your number.**

**Laura: I want the name of the girl I’m emailing. For reasons.**

**Stiles: And you can’t just ask?**

**Laura: No. We kind of agreed to only use middle names. All I know is that her middle name is Leigh.**

**Laura: Stiles?**

**Laura: Is the silence a no?**

**~**

_To:[alphabetahope@gmail.com](mailto:alphabetahope@gmail.com)_

_From:[tazingthunder@gmail.com](mailto:tazingthunder@gmail.com)_

_Subject: SHE WHAT???_

_Rose,_

_Okay wait, you can’t just end it there!! It’s been hours, and I only just saw your email! My turn to worry! Please tell me that you and your family are okay!_

_Now that my freakout is through… she sounds like a nightmare! I can’t believe that she’d cheat on him and get herself PREGNANT, then dump him because he cheated on her too! It was probably self defense cheating! I bet he knew what she was doing the whole time, and that was the only way he could get revenge. I don’t condone cheating, but I can understand it… kind of? I understand him, I guess._

_I used to live in London with my absolute best friend. A woman that I call my sister, and I don’t take that lightly. She was the first scientist I ever took care of. She constantly forgot to eat and sleep, and she’d get mean if I let her go too long without either. We’d been working together for over a year before I gave up and hired an intern who could actually understand her science jargon. His name is Ian. I’m not even going to use his middle name, because he’s not a good person._

_(I’m going to tell you this story, even though it doesn’t look very good on me, either. We agreed to just be friends because our soulmates are so important, but I went through a period of time where I genuinely didn’t believe I’d ever meet mine. Please don’t judge me too harshly… that time has passed. I’m very much devoted to my soulmate, whoever she may be.)_

_At first, Ian was kind of the bane of my existence. My friend spent more time talking with him than with me, and they both blatantly ignored me most days. It grated on my nerves. But as she got closer to making a breakthrough, Ian and I started to get closer. She stopped really talking to both of us, so we talked to each other. Still, it didn’t really go anywhere until he saved my life. (The abbreviated story is that something really dangerous went down, and he defended me when he didn’t have a hope of winning.) In the heat of the moment, I kissed him. So began our short-lived romance._

_Ian was very attentive. I didn’t think anything of it at first; he treated me well and he paid attention. The longer we were together, the more attentive he got. After the first two weeks, he made excuses to be with me twenty-four/seven. I was never alone anymore. He started following me to the bathroom, and that’s when I crossed the line. He did back off when I confronted him, but he would text and call me whenever I’d even leave the room. And when I broke it off, he started showing up in places he knew I was likely to be. He camped out outside of my apartment for a few nights, and got violent when I threatened to call the police. Actually, he’s the main reason that I left London. I got a restraining order, but he ignored it. Thankfully, he did not follow me back to the states. My friend stayed behind, and he’s been leaving her alone. I check in every day._

_And the reason I told you that story was to say that it takes a special kind of crazy to be “in love” with someone and do things like that to them. That sounds like your Kate. Maybe in her own way she loved him, but she went crazy instead of just telling him. You know?_

_Now that I’ve over-shared and written a novel, I’ll end with this: you can tell me anything. I won’t share it with anyone, ever. Vent to me, tell me stories about clients, or whatever else you need. That’s what friends are for. And I’ll do the same in return, if that’s okay._

_Leigh_

_~_

**Darcy: Dude, I got my ticket today! I’ll be there in exactly one month.**

**Stiles: I’m not sure it’s a good idea. Dad is swamped… maybe you shouldn’t come.**

**Darcy: You saying you don’t want to see me?**

**Stiles: No! I miss you like crazy.**

**Darcy: Then I don’t understand.**

**Stiles: Do you know how hard it is to keep secrets from you?**

**Darcy: It’s intentional. I’m just that awesome.**

**Stiles: I hate you.**

**Darcy: No you don’t.**

**Stiles: No I don’t. I’ll see you in a month, Darce.**

_~_

_To:[tazingthunder@gmail.com](mailto:tazingthunder@gmail.com)_

_From:[alphabetahope@gmail.com](mailto:alphabetahope@gmail.com)_

_Subject: All is well…_

_Leigh,_

_Expect that Liz is in the hospital for smoke inhalation. Lucas wasn’t home, but Liz was… and Kate set my house on fire. I stayed with my family, like I said that I would, because that’s what I assumed she meant. Turns out she was threatening my siblings. She must not know where the rest of my family lives, but my address is on my business’s website as a way to get in touch with me. Don’t worry, though. Liz will be fine. The police are looking for Kate as I type this, but she seems to have disappeared. Even her husband doesn’t know where she went. Not that he seems upset that she’s gone. I’m hoping she skipped town._

_I’m not judging you for having a romance that isn’t your soulmate. I’ll admit to having a failed relationship or two over the years. I went through the same phase of thinking that I’ll never meet her. Mine has also passed, clearly. That being said…_

_Ian sounds awful. He sounds like an abusive and controlling asshole. If he ever does follow you to the states, please tell me. If that ever happens, I will personally get you a restraining order that he won’t dare to violate. (Providing you’ll allow it, because I know that means the anonymity would be gone.) I sincerely hope that he continues to leave you and your friend alone. I repeat, I will help in ANY way that you need. Without hesitation._

_I’m going to share something that has been bothering me, now. Lucas and I have never been very close, but I feel like there’s an ocean between us now. He’s hiding something from our entire family. We live together, but he’s never here anymore. And when he is, he hides in his room. I haven’t had a conversation with him since a few weeks before we started emailing each other. And even that was just about what we needed from the store. My mother told me last night that he hasn’t gone to visit her in three months… and that’s not like him at all. I’m worried, and I don’t know what to do. I know that we’re new friends, but I welcome any advice you may have for me. Have you ever gone through something like this with your cousin?_

_Rose_

_P.S. I really do mean it. If he bothers you, I need to know. I need to help. I hate people like that._

_To:[alphabetahope@gmail.com](mailto:alphabetahope@gmail.com)_

_From:[tazingthunder@gmail.com](mailto:tazingthunder@gmail.com)_

_Subject: Aw, you care!_

_Rose,_

_I’m so glad you’re okay! I was genuinely worried while I waited for an answer. I didn’t mean to push you into replying instead of being with your sister, though. I’m really sorry that she’s hurt/sick. (Which is it considered? I’m not sure.) I hope that they find Kate. She deserves to rot in prison for attempted murder._

_Ian hasn’t bothered me in months. That all happened over a year ago, and he hasn’t even called or texted in a VERY long time. And my friend is fine, too. But I promise to tell you if that ever changes. I will gladly accept your help, but I know you’ll be disappointed when you learn who I am. I kind of like the anonymity. (Someday I’ll tell you my full name. Someday.)_

_Genim has only acted like that one time. He avoided home and kept locking himself in his room when he found out that his soulmate is, in fact, a man. He’s one of the minority that didn’t get their soulmark until sixteen. I was born with mine. He hadn’t come out to any of us, and he was terrified that we’d reject him for it. I can’t say that’s what Lucas is hiding, but it wouldn’t surprise me. And to be fair to Genim, I hadn’t actually told anyone that my soulmate was a woman. He didn’t know about me, so I understand why he didn’t tell me about him. We kind of told each other at the same time._

_My advice is to treat him like you always have. Joke with him, make him food (if that’s something you do), and so on. Text him random things when he’s not home, and invite him out to watch TV or eat when he’s home. Eventually, he’ll open up to you._

_Leigh_

_~_

**Laura: Your silence is freaking me out.**

**Stiles: I have information that I don’t want to share yet. If you show up at my house, I’m using the mountain ash.**

**Laura: Rude. What information could be that important?**

**Stiles: Soulmates.**

**Laura: You found yours?**

**Laura: Wait…**

**Laura: You found mine, didn’t you?**

**Laura: STILES!**

**Laura: I’m coming over. DO NOT lock me out.**


	4. Interlude: Stiles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles has a realization or two, and maybe discovers his own soulmate.

He stared at his phone, unsure of how to feel. Darcy had just told him that she was talking to a woman who only knew her middle name. It couldn’t be a coincidence that Laura is doing exactly the same thing with a woman who has Darcy’s middle name. They had to be talking to each other. And if that was the case… Stiles knew all about Darcy’s soulmark. He’d seen it for himself many times. He had never seen the symbol before, but the name… Laura Hale and Darcy Lewis were soulmates. And they were emailing back and forth.

He didn’t look up from his phone until someone sat down at his table across from him. It was Derek, of course. Because his life couldn’t get any more complicated, right? Stiles had known who his soulmate was from the moment his mark had shown up. He assumed that Derek knew, as well, and just couldn’t find a way to let him down gently. After all, if Stiles had the name ‘Derek Hale’ tattooed permanently on his side, he knew that his name had to be somewhere on Derek. It was a small mercy that Derek didn’t just laugh at him cruelly and then ignore him. No, they had to become friends instead. It was the ultimate definition of friendzone.

“What has you looking so terrified?” Derek asked softly, still holding his coffee. And yeah, maybe Stiles should have waited to have his realization out of the public eye, but… coffee.

“Nothing, just… Darcy,” Stiles shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant. He failed, but Derek kindly didn’t call him on it. It’s not like he’d lied.

“Well, if you’re busy with her, I’ll go,” Derek offered, already pushing his chair back. Stiles knew his eyes had widened comically, and his actions were telling as he reached out quickly to stop Derek from moving away.

“No, it’s fine. It’s nothing that big,” he lied, knowing that Derek would detect the lie and not even caring. Darcy could wait. It’s not like he was planning on telling her what he’d learned, anyways. And that’s when he noticed that Derek was carrying his laptop with him. “You came here to write, didn’t you? Don’t let me stop you. I’m supposed to be studying.” He patted his own open laptop with a forced smile. It hurt to pretend he didn’t care about Derek.

“Yeah… sure,” Derek agreed. He looked like he wanted to press the issue, but he kept his mouth shut as he pulled his laptop out and powered it on. Stiles forced himself to focus on his own computer.

In reality, Stiles was not doing homework. He was, in fact, composing yet another email to the elusive ‘Lucas’. He was being ignored and it killed him. He pretended he didn’t hear Derek sigh across from him, and he was about to hit send on the latest of his pathetic emails when his inbox pinged. Lucas had replied.

_To:[spazzattack@gmail.com](mailto:spazzattack@gmail.com)_

_From:[howlatthemoon@gmail.com](mailto:howlatthemoon@gmail.com)_

_Subject: Sorry_

_Genim,_

_I’m sorry. Words aren’t exactly my strength. Which is funny, given my chosen profession. I suppose I should say that emotions are not my strength. I’m usually very good with words. So let me tell this to you as I would if I were writing fiction instead of truth._

_My sisters and I are not as close as we used to be. When I got my soulmark, I hid it from them. Which is ridiculous, because one of them has a soulmate who is very much a woman. She’s been emailing someone as well, from what I understand. She won’t tell us, but I’m observant. The thing is, I can’t tell them about me. I can’t tell them that I’m gay. And I DEFINITELY can’t admit it to the person I’m… well…_

_I have this friend. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, but he’s not my soulmate. I spend a lot of time with him, but I think he thinks that I don’t like him at all. We don’t talk much, just sit in each other’s company. And I’m in love with him. He’s not my soulmate. I can NEVER tell him, of course. I don’t put much stock into soulmates, but he does. He’s been waiting so long for his, and I just want him to be happy. I know it can’t be with me, and that’s okay. I won’t rain on his happiness, not ever. But it means that I’ve been keeping this secret for so long. It feels good to type it now. The characters in my books all have the same problem, I won’t lie. Not necessarily sexuality crises, but… being in love with someone they shouldn’t. I’ve never been able to end any of them. I’ve never been able to publish any of them. I don’t know how it ends, because I’m not brave enough to find out for myself._

_I haven’t even been brave enough to send this email, though it’s been typed since five minutes after I finished reading your last one. I’m sorry. Someday I’ll be brave enough to tell at least you._

_Lucas_

Stiles stared at the email with wide eyes, exactly the same way he’d stared at the texts from Laura and Darcy. Lucas was hiding such a big secret… and he sounded familiar. The whole situation was familiar, in fact. He typed out his reply carefully, hoping that Lucas’s reply would give him a truth that he’d only dreamed was possible.

 

_To:[howlatthemoon@gmail.com](mailto:howlatthemoon@gmail.com)_

_From:[spazzattack@gmail.com](mailto:spazzattack@gmail.com)_

_Subject: Truth Time_

_Lucas,_

_Alright, since you shared something huge with me, I’m going to share a few equally huge things with you. Bear with me… I promise it will be worth it in the end._

_I already knew my soulmate when my mark showed up. I think I might have told you that? Genuinely can’t remember. I hid it from my friends and family, because I was terrified of their reactions. I couldn’t stand the thought that they might hate me for liking a guy. Now of course I know how dumb that was. (No offense to you, of course. Respect and all that.) My cousin/sister has a mark with a woman’s name, and she hid it too. We ended up telling each other at the same time._

_So my mark… I wasn’t friends with the guy at first. I knew of him, but I didn’t know him personally. My dad had used a local lawyer to adopt my cousin/sister, Darcy, when we were both little, and that was his uncle. So I knew him through his family name only. But it wasn’t enough. As soon as the mark showed up, I started hanging around his sister, who is my age. She and I were fast friends, which I think hurt Darcy’s feelings. And then he and I started spending more time together, and I thought for sure he knew that we were soulmates and just was too nice to tell me that he didn’t want me. That thought has always killed me. It’s why I joined this website to begin with. And I’m glad I did, because I met you. And if nothing else, maybe I get to help you through your problem._

_See, thing is, I’m starting to think that maybe my soulmate just doesn’t know I’m his. It didn’t occur to me until today that nobody but my father and Darcy know my real name. I’ve just always gone by a nickname, because my first name is a monstrosity. So I will absolutely give you advice, if you give me some first._

_Should I tell him? Or at least mention that he doesn’t know my real first name? I think I can stand to make the first step, if it means I get to be with my soulmate. What would you do?_

_Genim_

 

He hit send and then closed his laptop. He knew he’d given enough information that if it was Derek, he would know. And he could only hope that he’d been right, because otherwise he’d look ridiculous right now. But he wasn’t disappointed. Derek looked up and met his gaze with stunned eyes not even five minutes later.

“Genim?” he asked hoarsely. Stiles smiled and nodded.

“I knew it. I knew it was you,” he said softly. “My first name is Mieczyslaw. It means ‘Mischief’ in Polish. My mother thought it was fitting. I don’t think she ever dreamed how much confusion it would cause.”

“You’re… you’re my soulmate?” Derek asked, sounding stunned. Stiles nodded, trying to appear calmer than he felt. He apparently succeeded. “You’ve known this whole time?”

“As I said in my email, I thought you knew and just didn’t want to hurt my feelings,” Stiles reminded him. Derek shook his head. His expression hadn’t strayed from shocked.

“No, not at all. I… I had no clue. I’d given up on ever finding you,” Derek told him. “And you read my email. I’ve been in love with you for years now. Since just a few months after you worked your way into my life.”

“I’ve loved you since before I knew you were my soulmate,” Stiles informed him. “I admired you while we were in school, even though you were a couple grades ahead of me. I always thought that the Hales were amazing, because your mom helped Darcy when she needed it. And then your name showed up on me, and I just… I knew it was meant to be. I think I knew you were my soulmate long before I had proof. But I never dreamed you’d actually want me.”

“Stiles…” Derek clearly wasn’t sure how to say what he wanted to say. He must have realized that actions worked better, because within seconds he was out of his chair and kneeling in front of Stiles. In the next instant, they were kissing. It was everything Stiles had ever wanted, and more. He never wanted it to end.

He realized distantly, when the kiss finally ended, that he couldn’t tell Laura or Darcy what he knew. He couldn’t steal the moment that they realized it for themselves. He wasn’t that selfish. So when Laura kept bugging him, he made sure to keep the information to himself. He didn’t even tell Derek. (Not that they were doing a lot of talking when they were together, anyways. They had much better things to keep them occupied.)


End file.
